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Month by month24 islands

The best time to visit the Cyclades.

The month decides the wind, the sea temperature, the crowds and the price. Compare the archipelago month by month, then open any island for its own calendar.
See every island by monthWeather by month
Island calendars
24
Most-listed best month
September (21 of 24 islands)
Warmest sea
August · 25°C
Driest
July, August · 1 mm
Busiest
July, August
Meltemi season
June-Sept

01The wind

The Meltemi Winds.

The single most critical variable for any traveler to the Cyclades is the Meltemi. This dry, northerly wind is not merely a weather event; it is the regulator of the Aegean climate.

Originated from high-pressure systems in the Balkans colliding with lower pressures in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Predominant Duration
June-Sept
Peak Wind Strength
Force 7-8

02Three seasons

The Seasonal Triptych.

  1. April – May – Early June

    The Vernal Awakening

    Spring in the Cyclades is a revelation. Following the winter rains, islands are verdant and carpeted in wildflowers. Prime for hikers and cultural travelers.

    • Mild temperatures (20-25°C)
    • Orthodox Easter celebrations
    • Fewer crowds and lower prices
    • Green landscapes unique to this season

  2. Late June – July – August

    The High Energy Apex

    The period of maximum intensity. The sun is relentless, the Meltemi is at its peak, and the islands are operating at full capacity.

    • Peak beach club and nightlife scene
    • Maximum ferry frequency
    • Vibrant social dynamics
    • Strongest Meltemi cooling winds

  3. September – October

    The Golden Autumn

    Often cited as the optimal balance. The Aegean acts as a heat sink, retaining warmth well into October, yet air temperatures are comfortable.

    • Warmest sea temperatures (23-24°C)
    • Soft light, ideal for photography
    • Dissipating crowds and relaxed vibe
    • Wine and agriculture harvest seasons
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03Archipelago averages

Monthly Conditions across the Archipelago.

Average air and sea temperature (°C), rainfall (mm), wind (Beaufort) and crowds by month
DateTemperatureSea TemperatureRain mmWind (Beaufort)Peak CrowdsIn short
January13°16°703-5Very LowCool and quiet - great for hiking
February13°15°553-5Very LowShort days but beautiful light
March14°16°453-5LowSpring arrives, wildflowers bloom
April17°17°203-5LowEaster celebrations, perfect hiking
May21°19°103-5ModerateIdeal! Warm, not crowded
June25°22°33-5HighBeach season begins, great weather
July27°24°15-8Very HighHot! Peak season, busy everywhere
August28°25°15-8Very HighHottest month, meltemi winds
September25°24°103-5HighPerfect! Warm sea, fewer crowds
October21°22°353-5ModerateStill warm, some rain possible
November17°20°503-5LowShoulder season ends, cooling down
December14°17°653-5Very LowQuiet and cool, holiday atmosphere
Archipelago-wide monthly averages; individual islands vary. Crowd dots map the crowd level from 1 (very low) to 5 (very high).

Source: Discover Cyclades monthly climate and crowd averages

04Season calendar

Every island, every month.

One row per island: best months, peak, shoulder and off season as recorded in each island calendar. Open an island for events and the full story.

Season calendar for 24 Cyclades islands
IslandJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecPlan
AmorgosAmorgos, January: Off seasonAmorgos, February: Off seasonAmorgos, March: Off seasonAmorgos, April: Best monthAmorgos, May: Best monthAmorgos, June: Best monthAmorgos, July: Peak seasonAmorgos, August: Peak seasonAmorgos, September: Best monthAmorgos, October: Best monthAmorgos, November: Off seasonAmorgos, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
AnafiAnafi, January: Off seasonAnafi, February: Off seasonAnafi, March: Off seasonAnafi, April: Off seasonAnafi, May: Shoulder seasonAnafi, June: Best monthAnafi, July: Not covered by our dataAnafi, August: Peak seasonAnafi, September: Best monthAnafi, October: Off seasonAnafi, November: Off seasonAnafi, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
AndrosAndros, January: Off seasonAndros, February: Off seasonAndros, March: Off seasonAndros, April: Best monthAndros, May: Best monthAndros, June: Best monthAndros, July: Peak seasonAndros, August: Peak seasonAndros, September: Best monthAndros, October: Best monthAndros, November: Off seasonAndros, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
AntiparosAntiparos, January: Off seasonAntiparos, February: Off seasonAntiparos, March: Off seasonAntiparos, April: Off seasonAntiparos, May: Shoulder seasonAntiparos, June: Best monthAntiparos, July: Peak seasonAntiparos, August: Peak seasonAntiparos, September: Best monthAntiparos, October: Off seasonAntiparos, November: Off seasonAntiparos, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
DonousaDonousa, January: Off seasonDonousa, February: Off seasonDonousa, March: Off seasonDonousa, April: Off seasonDonousa, May: Shoulder seasonDonousa, June: Best monthDonousa, July: Not covered by our dataDonousa, August: Peak seasonDonousa, September: Best monthDonousa, October: Off seasonDonousa, November: Off seasonDonousa, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
FolegandrosFolegandros, January: Off seasonFolegandros, February: Off seasonFolegandros, March: Off seasonFolegandros, April: Off seasonFolegandros, May: Best monthFolegandros, June: Best monthFolegandros, July: Peak seasonFolegandros, August: Peak seasonFolegandros, September: Best monthFolegandros, October: Best monthFolegandros, November: Off seasonFolegandros, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
IosIos, January: Off seasonIos, February: Off seasonIos, March: Off seasonIos, April: Off seasonIos, May: Best monthIos, June: Best monthIos, July: Peak seasonIos, August: Peak seasonIos, September: Best monthIos, October: Off seasonIos, November: Off seasonIos, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
IrakliaIraklia, January: Off seasonIraklia, February: Off seasonIraklia, March: Off seasonIraklia, April: Best monthIraklia, May: Best monthIraklia, June: Shoulder seasonIraklia, July: Peak seasonIraklia, August: Peak seasonIraklia, September: Shoulder seasonIraklia, October: Best monthIraklia, November: Off seasonIraklia, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
Kea (Tzia)Kea (Tzia), January: Off seasonKea (Tzia), February: Off seasonKea (Tzia), March: Best monthKea (Tzia), April: Best monthKea (Tzia), May: Best monthKea (Tzia), June: Shoulder seasonKea (Tzia), July: Peak seasonKea (Tzia), August: Peak seasonKea (Tzia), September: Shoulder seasonKea (Tzia), October: Off seasonKea (Tzia), November: Off seasonKea (Tzia), December: Off seasonGuideFerries
KimolosKimolos, January: Off seasonKimolos, February: Off seasonKimolos, March: Off seasonKimolos, April: Off seasonKimolos, May: Shoulder seasonKimolos, June: Best monthKimolos, July: Best monthKimolos, August: Peak seasonKimolos, September: Shoulder seasonKimolos, October: Off seasonKimolos, November: Off seasonKimolos, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
KoufonisiaKoufonisia, January: Off seasonKoufonisia, February: Off seasonKoufonisia, March: Off seasonKoufonisia, April: Off seasonKoufonisia, May: Shoulder seasonKoufonisia, June: Best monthKoufonisia, July: Peak seasonKoufonisia, August: Peak seasonKoufonisia, September: Best monthKoufonisia, October: Off seasonKoufonisia, November: Off seasonKoufonisia, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
KythnosKythnos, January: Off seasonKythnos, February: Off seasonKythnos, March: Off seasonKythnos, April: Off seasonKythnos, May: Shoulder seasonKythnos, June: Best monthKythnos, July: Peak seasonKythnos, August: Peak seasonKythnos, September: Best monthKythnos, October: Off seasonKythnos, November: Off seasonKythnos, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
MilosMilos, January: Off seasonMilos, February: Off seasonMilos, March: Off seasonMilos, April: Off seasonMilos, May: Best monthMilos, June: Best monthMilos, July: Peak seasonMilos, August: Peak seasonMilos, September: Best monthMilos, October: Shoulder seasonMilos, November: Off seasonMilos, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
MykonosMykonos, January: Off seasonMykonos, February: Off seasonMykonos, March: Off seasonMykonos, April: Off seasonMykonos, May: Best monthMykonos, June: Best monthMykonos, July: Peak seasonMykonos, August: Peak seasonMykonos, September: Best monthMykonos, October: Best monthMykonos, November: Off seasonMykonos, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
NaxosNaxos, January: Off seasonNaxos, February: Off seasonNaxos, March: Off seasonNaxos, April: Shoulder seasonNaxos, May: Best monthNaxos, June: Best monthNaxos, July: Peak seasonNaxos, August: Peak seasonNaxos, September: Best monthNaxos, October: Best monthNaxos, November: Off seasonNaxos, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
ParosParos, January: Off seasonParos, February: Off seasonParos, March: Off seasonParos, April: Off seasonParos, May: Best monthParos, June: Best monthParos, July: Peak seasonParos, August: Peak seasonParos, September: Best monthParos, October: Best monthParos, November: Off seasonParos, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
SantoriniSantorini, January: Off seasonSantorini, February: Off seasonSantorini, March: Not covered by our dataSantorini, April: Best monthSantorini, May: Best monthSantorini, June: Not covered by our dataSantorini, July: Peak seasonSantorini, August: Peak seasonSantorini, September: Best monthSantorini, October: Best monthSantorini, November: Best monthSantorini, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
SchinoussaSchinoussa, January: Off seasonSchinoussa, February: Off seasonSchinoussa, March: Off seasonSchinoussa, April: Off seasonSchinoussa, May: Shoulder seasonSchinoussa, June: Best monthSchinoussa, July: Peak seasonSchinoussa, August: Peak seasonSchinoussa, September: Best monthSchinoussa, October: Off seasonSchinoussa, November: Off seasonSchinoussa, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
SerifosSerifos, January: Off seasonSerifos, February: Off seasonSerifos, March: Off seasonSerifos, April: Off seasonSerifos, May: Shoulder seasonSerifos, June: Best monthSerifos, July: Peak seasonSerifos, August: Peak seasonSerifos, September: Best monthSerifos, October: Off seasonSerifos, November: Off seasonSerifos, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
SifnosSifnos, January: Off seasonSifnos, February: Off seasonSifnos, March: Off seasonSifnos, April: Best monthSifnos, May: Best monthSifnos, June: Shoulder seasonSifnos, July: Peak seasonSifnos, August: Peak seasonSifnos, September: Best monthSifnos, October: Best monthSifnos, November: Off seasonSifnos, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
SikinosSikinos, January: Off seasonSikinos, February: Off seasonSikinos, March: Off seasonSikinos, April: Off seasonSikinos, May: Shoulder seasonSikinos, June: Best monthSikinos, July: Not covered by our dataSikinos, August: Peak seasonSikinos, September: Best monthSikinos, October: Off seasonSikinos, November: Off seasonSikinos, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
SyrosSyros, January: Not covered by our dataSyros, February: Not covered by our dataSyros, March: Not covered by our dataSyros, April: Best monthSyros, May: Best monthSyros, June: Shoulder seasonSyros, July: Best monthSyros, August: Peak seasonSyros, September: Best monthSyros, October: Best monthSyros, November: Not covered by our dataSyros, December: Not covered by our dataGuideFerries
ThirassiaThirassia, January: Off seasonThirassia, February: Off seasonThirassia, March: Off seasonThirassia, April: Off seasonThirassia, May: Best monthThirassia, June: Shoulder seasonThirassia, July: Peak seasonThirassia, August: Peak seasonThirassia, September: Best monthThirassia, October: Best monthThirassia, November: Off seasonThirassia, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
TinosTinos, January: Off seasonTinos, February: Off seasonTinos, March: Off seasonTinos, April: Off seasonTinos, May: Best monthTinos, June: Shoulder seasonTinos, July: Peak seasonTinos, August: Peak seasonTinos, September: Best monthTinos, October: Best monthTinos, November: Off seasonTinos, December: Off seasonGuideFerries
Each verdict comes from the best months and season bands recorded per island. Blank dots mean our data does not cover that month. Typical patterns, not guarantees.
Key
  • Best month
  • Shoulder season
  • Peak season
  • Off season
  • Not covered by our data

Source: Discover Cyclades seasonality data, one record per island

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05By island

The 24 Island Guides.

Select an island for specialized weather, wind, and seasonality data.